If you already own one throw blanket, or you are choosing between two, the real question is not which one is nicer. It is which one actually matches how you use it. A ribbed knit throw and a faux fur throw solve slightly different problems, and knowing the difference before you buy saves you from owning two blankets that end up doing the exact same job on the same sofa.
Who this guide is for
This is written for anyone deciding between a knit-style throw and a faux fur throw for a bedroom, living room or reading corner. If you are shopping for outdoor use, a picnic blanket, or something for a car or a stadium, the comparisons below will not hold up the same way, both of these styles are indoor pieces, built for a room rather than the elements.
The short answer
Faux fur is warmer for its weight and feels softer against skin. Ribbed knit is lighter, more breathable, and easier to fold, wash and style across more of the year. If you want one throw that works in most rooms and most seasons, ribbed knit is the safer choice. If you want a throw specifically for the coldest months, or one that carries more visual weight in a room, faux fur is the better fit.
What actually makes them different
Both are throw blankets in the sense that they drape, fold and layer the same way. The difference is in construction. A ribbed knit throw, like our Cloud-Ribbed Throw Blanket, is a woven fabric with raised channels running through it. The structure comes from the weave itself, and the surface stays relatively flat and even, which is part of why it folds so cleanly.
A faux fur throw, like our Cloud-Puff Faux Rabbit Fur Throw Blanket, is built from a pile fabric, meaning fibers are attached to a woven backing and stand up from the surface. That pile is what creates the soft, plush hand feel, and it is also what makes faux fur throws heavier and bulkier to fold and store compared to a flat knit.
Warmth: pile height and GSM matter more than the label
Both styles can be measured the same way, using GSM, grams per square meter, which we covered in more detail in our guide to choosing a throw blanket by weight and material. As a general pattern, faux fur throws tend to sit at the higher end of the GSM range because the pile itself adds mass on top of the backing fabric. That extra mass is part of why faux fur reads as warmer even before you factor in how the pile traps air close to the body, similar to how a heavier winter coat traps more warm air than a thin jacket of the same style.
Ribbed knit throws are usually lighter for a given warmth level, since the texture comes from the weave rather than an added pile layer. This is not a flaw, it is what makes a ribbed knit throw more versatile across seasons rather than being a strictly winter piece. A lighter fabric breathes more easily, which matters if you tend to run warm or live somewhere that stays mild through most of the year.
Look and feel: how each one changes a room
A ribbed knit throw drapes close and keeps its shape, which tends to read as tailored and calm. It photographs and folds cleanly, and it layers well against other textures without competing for attention, which is part of why we used it as the anchor piece in our guide to styling a macramé wall hanging, where the goal was contrast rather than repetition.
A faux fur throw carries more visual weight. It catches light differently across its pile, it looks intentionally plush rather than tailored, and it tends to become the focal point of whatever surface it is on, a bed, a sofa arm, a reading chair. That is a strength in a room that could use one clear soft focal point, and a liability in a room that already has a lot going on texturally, since two high-pile pieces in the same space can start to compete rather than complement each other.
Weight and how it affects everyday use
This is the part that rarely comes up until after the purchase. A faux fur throw is noticeably heavier to carry around, fold over an arm, or toss over your shoulder while curled up reading. If you tend to move your throw blanket from room to room, or you like to travel with a lighter piece for a guest room, that extra weight adds up in ways a product photo cannot show.
A ribbed knit throw is easier to live with in this sense. It packs down smaller for storage, it is simpler to shake out and refold one-handed, and it does not add noticeable bulk to a laundry load the way a full faux fur throw can. Neither of these is a dealbreaker on its own, but they are worth factoring in if the throw is something you actually move around daily rather than one that stays folded in a single spot.
Care and durability
Ribbed knit throws are generally easier to live with day to day. Most hold up well to regular machine washing on a gentle cold cycle, dry quickly, and resist pilling if the weave is well made.
Faux fur throws need a bit more attention. Machine washing is usually fine on a gentle cycle, but tumble drying on high heat can flatten or damage the pile over time, air drying or a low, no-heat setting keeps the texture intact for longer. Faux fur is also more prone to shedding in the first few washes, which is normal for pile fabrics and usually settles down after the initial wash cycles.
Neither style needs the kind of specialist care a real wool or genuine fur piece would, which is part of the appeal of faux fur over the real thing, but if you want the lowest-maintenance option of the two, ribbed knit wins.
Which one fits which room, season or mood
A few practical starting points, based on how each fabric actually behaves rather than how it looks in a single photo:
Year-round living room or reading corner. Ribbed knit is the more flexible choice here. It works layered over the Cocoon Chair With Stand in warmer months without feeling too heavy, and still adds real warmth once the weather turns.
Bedroom in the coldest months. Faux fur earns its place here. Folded at the foot of the bed, it adds visible warmth and texture without needing to replace the duvet, and the extra pile height means it reads as intentional rather than thin.
Small apartments or shared spaces. Ribbed knit again, mainly for practical reasons. It folds flatter, stores more easily, and does not shed the way a new faux fur throw can in its first few washes.
A single statement piece for a mostly neutral room. Faux fur, specifically because it carries more visual weight. In a room built around calm, low-texture surfaces, one plush piece can do more work than several smaller decorative touches.
Can you use both together
Yes, and this is often the better answer than choosing just one. The two textures contrast enough to read as intentional rather than repetitive, a ribbed knit throw on a sofa and a faux fur throw folded at the foot of a nearby bed, for example, rather than both in the same spot. The same layering logic we cover in our piece on slow living practices applies here: fewer pieces, chosen for contrast rather than matching, tend to make a room feel more considered than a full matching set does.
Common mistakes when choosing between the two
Buying faux fur for a warm climate or a heated apartment. The extra pile height that makes faux fur feel luxurious also makes it genuinely warmer to sleep or sit under. In a consistently warm room, that can work against you.
Assuming faux fur is automatically higher quality. Warmth and pile height are not the same thing as durability. A well-made ribbed knit throw will outlast a poorly made faux fur one, the fabric type is not a shortcut for quality, construction is.
Tumble drying faux fur on high heat out of habit. This is the single most common way a faux fur throw loses its texture early. If you would not tumble dry a real fur or wool piece on high heat, treat faux fur with the same caution.
Choosing based on the product photo alone. Faux fur photographs beautifully, often more so than a ribbed knit throw, which can make it look like the obvious upgrade. How a fabric photographs and how it performs in your specific room are two different questions, and it is worth answering the second one before the first one decides for you.
A few common questions
Is faux fur actually warmer than knit, or does it just feel that way? Both. The pile traps a layer of air close to the body, which adds real insulation, and the texture itself feels warmer to the touch, so the perception and the physical warmth line up here.
Will a faux fur throw shed on my sofa? Some shedding in the first few uses and washes is normal for pile fabrics. It typically decreases significantly after the first two or three washes.
Can I put a faux fur throw and a knit throw in the same room without it looking mismatched? Yes, as long as they are not doing the same job in the same spot. Used on different surfaces, a sofa and a bed, for example, they read as two considered choices rather than a mismatched pair.
Which one is better for a household with pets? Ribbed knit tends to be more practical here. It shows pet hair less than a pile fabric does, and it holds up better to more frequent washing, which matters if the throw sees regular use as a spot for a cat or dog to curl up.
Does one style last longer than the other? With proper care, both can last several years. The bigger factor is how each is treated day to day, faux fur specifically needs the heat exposure limits mentioned above, while ribbed knit is more forgiving of an occasional care mistake.
The short version
If you only want to own one throw blanket, a ribbed knit throw like the Cloud-Ribbed Throw Blanket is the more flexible choice across rooms and seasons. If you are furnishing for the coldest months specifically, or you want one plush focal point in an otherwise calm room, the Cloud-Puff Faux Rabbit Fur Throw Blanket is built for that.
Before you decide, think about where the throw will actually live day to day, a sofa that sees daily use wants something easy to wash and fold, while a bed that is mostly for looks and occasional cold nights can carry a bit more upkeep. Match the fabric to that routine first, and the room will follow.